Pest-Repellent Pallet Slip Sheets

ABSTRACT

Pest-repellent pallet slip sheets for preventing or reducing rodent or pest damage to goods placed on pallets or other locations. The pest-repellent pallet slip sheets generally include slip sheets designed for placement on the top portion of a pallet, such that the slip sheet covers substantially the entire pallet. The slip sheets may be treated with repellent substance all over, randomly, or in a pattern such that a specific portion, or all, of the slip sheet is treated with the pest-repellent substance. The pattern may be produced, for example, by feeding slip sheet material past an application device at a given rate of speed, and then intermittently interrupting the application of the pest-repellent substance if an intermittent pattern is desired. A colored dye may be added to the pest-repellent substance to create a visible indication of a pattern or treated area.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.16/785,185 filed on Feb. 7, 2020 which issues as U.S. Pat. No.11,058,109 on Jul. 13, 2021 (Docket No. EART-055). Each of theaforementioned patent applications is herein incorporated by referencein their entirety STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY

SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable to this application.

BACKGROUND Field

Example embodiments in general relate to pest-repellent pallet slipsheets for protecting products from rodent and pest damage while theproducts are on pallets, or elsewhere.

Related Art

Any discussion of the related art throughout the specification should inno way be considered as an admission that such related art is widelyknown or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.

In the past, entire pallets have been chemically treated to make themresistant to damage from rot and insects, for example. However, suchtreated pallets do not provide a physical barrier to pests such asrodents, insects, arthropods, etc., and may be expensive, especiallyconsidering that pallets are often reused, and treated pallets may benecessary or desirable for some products, but not others. In addition,untreated slip sheets may be useful for shipment and handling of someproducts, but may not adequately protect food, perishables, or otherproducts from rodents and other pests.

SUMMARY

An example embodiment is directed to pest-repellent pallet slip sheets.The pests targeted may be rodents, arthropods, or other pests, and therepellent material can be targeted to one or more types of these pests.The pest-repellent pallet slip sheets include a slip sheet sized forplacement on a top portion of a pallet, such that the slip sheet coversall or a part of the top portion of the pallet; and a pest-repellentsubstance applied to the slip sheet in a pattern such that a patternedportion of the slip sheet is treated with the pest-repellent substance.

In example embodiments, the slip sheet may be made from paper,corrugated paper, cardboard, plant fibers, or hemp fibers, etc. Further,the pattern in which the substance is applied may cover less than theentire slip sheet, and may include, for example, an X-shaped pattern, ora box shape around a perimeter of the slip sheet, in embodiments whereinthe slip sheet is rectangular. Further, the patterned portion maycomprise a plurality of gaps that are not treated with thepest-repellent substance, such that a pattern similar to a wide dashedline is produced. This pattern may be produced, for example, by feedingslip sheet material past an application device at a given rate of speed,and then intermittently interrupting the application of thepest-repellent substance.

A colored dye may be added to the pest-repellent substance to ensure avisible pattern is created, although the substance itself may alsocreate discoloration that is visible after the substance dries. Inaddition, paint or sealant may also be applied over or under therepellent to provide performance benefits.

In addition to dye or colorant in the repellent substance (or thecoloring properties of the substance itself), additional labeling,printing, painting, or other forms of marking may be used to indicatethe repellent properties of the slip sheets, and also to provideinstructions, directions, manufacturer attribution, lot coding,warnings, or other information relevant to the slip sheets when instorage, transport, or use.

In a further example embodiment, the slip sheet may be rectangular andhave four corners, and the pattern may include the four corners, such asa square pattern at each corner. As an example, the pattern may coverabout 6-10 square inches at one or more corners of the slip sheet. Instill another example, the slip sheet is rectangular, and the patternmay comprise two opposite edges of the slip sheet. Alternatively, apest-repellent pallet slip sheet may comprise a slip sheet that isrectangular, and wherein the pattern comprises two treated portionsperpendicular to each other. In some cases, each of the two treatedportions may be parallel to the sides of the slip sheet, forming across-shaped pattern.

In some embodiments of the pest-repellent pallet slip sheet the patterncovers less than 100% of the slip sheet, and it may cover less than 50%of the slip sheet, or it may alternatively cover less than 20% or lessthan 10% of the slip sheet. The pest-repellent pallet slip sheet may bemade by the steps of calibrating an application means (such as a roller,similar to a paint roller, or a low-volume, high-pressure sprayer) todeliver a pest-repellent substance at a specific rate, and feeding slipsheet material past the application means at a feed rate correspondingto the specific rate such that a target application rate is achieved;and applying the pest-repellent substance to the slip sheet materialwith the application means.

As with other example embodiments, pest-repellent pallet slip sheetsmade using this method may be made from paper, corrugated paper,cardboard, plant fibers, hemp fibers, or other suitable materials.Further, the application means may comprise a roller or a sprayer orother device suitable for delivering a pest-repellent substance to aproduct or surface.

Moreover, instead of moving slip sheet material past an applicationmeans or device, the means or device may be moved over or past the slipsheet material, so that the process may resemble a paint process with astationary, or slow-moving paint target. The process may be used todeliver a controlled volume of oil or other repellent substance to theslip sheet material by calibrating the application means to deliver thepest-repellent substance at a specific rate, and using the applicationmeans to apply the pest-repellent substance to the slip sheet materialat the specific rate.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, some of the embodiments ofthe pest-repellent pallet slip sheets in order that the detaileddescription thereof may be better understood, and in order that thepresent contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There areadditional embodiments of the pest-repellent pallet slip sheets thatwill be described hereinafter and that will form the subject matter ofthe claims appended hereto. In this respect, before explaining at leastone embodiment of the pest-repellent pallet slip sheets in detail, it isto be understood that the pest-repellent pallet slip sheets are notlimited in its application to the details of construction or to thearrangements of the components set forth in the following description orillustrated in the drawings. The pest-repellent pallet slip sheets arecapable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out invarious ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology andterminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description andshould not be regarded as limiting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Example embodiments will become more fully understood from the detaileddescription given herein below and the accompanying drawings, whereinlike elements are represented by like reference characters, which aregiven by way of illustration only and thus are not limitative of theexample embodiments herein.

FIG. 1A is an exploded, perspective view of a pest-repellent pallet slipsheet and a pallet in accordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 1B is a perspective view of a pest-repellent pallet slip sheet on apallet in accordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 1C is a top view of a pest-repellent pallet slip sheet inaccordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another pest-repellent pallet slip sheetin accordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a detail view of a pest-repellent pallet slip sheet inaccordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another pest-repellent pallet slip sheetin accordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a pest-repellent pallet slip sheet inuse, in accordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 6 is another perspective view of several pest-repellent pallet slipsheets in use, in accordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 7 is another perspective view of a pest-repellent pallet slip sheetin use, in accordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 8A is a sectional view of a pest-repellent pallet slip sheet takenat line 8-8 of FIG. 1, in accordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 8B is a sectional view of another pest-repellent pallet slip sheettaken at line 8-8 of FIG. 1, in accordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 9A is a perspective view of another pest-repellent pallet slipsheet in accordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 9B is a top view of another pest-repellent pallet slip sheet inaccordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 10A is a perspective view of another pest-repellent pallet slipsheet in accordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 10B is a top view of another pest-repellent pallet slip sheet inaccordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 11A is a perspective view of another pest-repellent pallet slipsheet in accordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 11B is a top view of another pest-repellent pallet slip sheet inaccordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 12A is a perspective view of another pest-repellent pallet slipsheet in accordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 12B is a top view of another pest-repellent pallet slip sheet inaccordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 13A is a perspective view of another pest-repellent pallet slipsheet in accordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 13B is a top view of another pest-repellent pallet slip sheet inaccordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 14A is a perspective view of another pest-repellent pallet slipsheet in accordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 14B is a top view of another pest-repellent pallet slip sheet inaccordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of pallet slip sheets being treated inaccordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 16 is another perspective view of pallet slip sheets being treatedin accordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of pallet slip sheet material beingtreated in accordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of pallet slip sheet material beingtreated in accordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 19 is a flow chart broadly outlining an example process of makingpest-repellent pallet slip sheets in accordance with an exampleembodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION A. Overview.

Pallet slip sheets 12 treated with a pest-repellent substance 20 mayprovide useful protection of products 34 placed on pallets 30, where theproducts 34 are subject to damage and consumption by insects and/orrodents. Pallet slip sheets 12 are typically in the form of thin sheetsmade from paper, cardboard, plant fibers, corrugated paper, etc. Suchslip sheets are thin enough that they do not limit the amount of productthat can be place on pallets, but they do provide a physical barrier.For example, if the top of a pallet 30 is comprised of parallel woodslats, slip sheets 10 will provide a physical barrier that preventsrodents or other pests from moving freely from the floor to theperishable product between the slats.

In addition to providing a physical barrier, slip sheets 12 can betreated with pest-repellent substance (such as pest-repellent oil) tofurther protect products on pallets 30. A number of pest-repellent oilsand substances are available that repel rodents and other small animalsby irritating their respiratory systems, or that the pests otherwiseavoid, while at the same time providing a safe, pleasant scent tohumans.

By way of non-limiting example, pest-repellent pallet slip sheets 10 maybe made by infusing, coating, or treating slip sheet material withrepellant oils to create repellant slip sheets.

Example pest-repellent pallet slip sheets 10 generally comprise a slipsheet 12 treated with a pest-repellent substance 20 in a pattern, arandom area, or on an entire slip sheet. The substance 20 may compriseoil or any pest-repellent substance or chemical, which may generally bein liquid form before application to untreated slip sheets 12. Each slipsheet 12 is sized for placement on a top portion 32 of a pallet 30, suchthat the pest-repellent pallet slip sheet 10 covers substantially theentire top portion 32 of the pallet 30. A patterned portion 14 of theslip sheet 12 is treated with the pest-repellent substance 20 to createa pest-repellent slip sheet 10.

In example embodiments, the slip sheet material may be made from paper,corrugated paper, cardboard, plant fibers, or hemp fibers, etc. Further,the pattern in which the substance 20 is applied may cover less than theentire slip sheet 12, and may include, for example, an X-shaped pattern,or a box shape around a perimeter of the slip sheet, in embodimentswherein the slip sheet 12 is rectangular. Further, the patterned portion14 may comprise a plurality of gaps that are not treated with thepest-repellent substance 20, such that a pattern similar to a widedashed line is produced.

Such a pattern may be produced, for example, by feeding slip sheetmaterial past an application device such as a sprayer 40 or roller 42 ata given rate of speed, and then intermittently interrupting theapplication of the pest-repellent substance 20. The patterned portion 14may cover less than 100% of the slip sheet 12, and it may cover lessthan 50% of the slip sheet, or it may alternatively cover less than 20%or less than 10% of the slip sheet, depending on the pattern used, whichsaves on the amount of treating substance 20 used (and accordingly,lowers the cost of the product), while still providing the pestresistance needed.

In a further example embodiment, the slip sheets 10 may be rectangularand have four corners, and the patterned portion 14 may include the fourcorners, such as a square pattern at each corner. In still anotherexample, the slip sheet 10 may be rectangular, and the pattern maycomprise two opposite edges of the slip sheet. Alternatively, apest-repellent pallet slip sheet 10 may comprise a slip sheet 12 that isrectangular, and the pattern may comprise two treated portions 14 thatare perpendicular to each other. In some cases, each of the two treatedportions may be parallel to the sides of the slip sheet, forming across-shaped patterned portion 14.

B. Treated Slip Sheets.

Example embodiments of pest-repellent slip sheets 10 generally compriseslip sheets 12 that are treated with pest-repellent substance in apattern, to create a patterned portion 14 on the slip sheet. Suchexample embodiments of the final product, treated slip sheets 10, arebest shown in FIGS. 1-4 and 9-14. As can be seen from the figures, thepest-repellent patterns can vary, and will generally result in less than100% of the slip sheet 12 being treated with the pest-repellentsubstance 20. In some embodiments, such as that of FIGS. 1-4 and 9-14,less than 50% of the base slip sheet 12 is covered, and the coverage maycomprise less than 20%, or less than 10% coverage in the illustrated, orother, embodiments. This allows a smaller quantity of pest-repellentsubstance 20 to be used, which is still effective for the purpose ofrepelling rodents and other pests, while the cost of the slip sheets 10is accordingly reduced. The coverage may typically range from 5% to100%.

As discussed previously, the slip sheet material can be of many types.For example, FIG. 1 illustrates a slip sheet 10 made from paper, whileFIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate slip sheets 10 made from corrugated cardboardor paper, and plant fibers, respectively. The plant fiber material maycomprise hemp fiber, by way of non-limiting example.

FIGS. 1-14 illustrate the slip sheets 10 sized and cut to fit onstandard pallets 30, although other sizes and shapes may be used, andindeed the slip sheets 10 may be used in other applications as well,including applications where the sheets are used without a pallet, toprovide a physical and substance-based deterrent to rodents and otherpests. FIGS. 1A and 1B best illustrate the size and shape of the slipsheets 10, and how they are made to fit on pallets 30.

In the figures, the patterned portion 14 generally represents thetreated portion of the slip sheets 10, which is typically visible.However, in some embodiments, the treated portion may be less visible,although it is likely, and may even be desirable, for the pattern toremain visible after infusion or application of the substance 20, sothat a user knows the slip sheet is pest repellent. The pattern may alsoserve a decorative purpose, or act as a source indicator. A colored dyemay be added to the pest-repellent substance in order to ensure that thepatterned portion 14 is visible, which allows quick and easyconfirmation that the sheets are pest-resistant, and also to confirm theshape of the pattern and the coverage amount or adequacy. In addition,paint or sealant may also be applied over or under the repellent toprovide performance benefits.

C. Treatment Patterns.

As mentioned, different patterns may be used in applying pest-repellentsubstance 20 to the slip sheets. FIGS. 1A-1C show a pattern on arectangular slip sheet 10, the pattern creating a patterned portion 14 acomprising a box shape around the perimeter of the slip sheet 10. Thispattern may effectively repel rodents or other creatures attempting toclimb or jump onto pallets at the edges, while at the same timeminimizing the amount of pest-repellent substance 20 used in making thesheet 10. As shown, this pattern leaves an untreated, generallyrectangular portion of slip sheet material in the central portion of theslip sheet material. This pattern may also comprise bands or strips oftreated portions that are the same or generally the same width alongeach edge of the slip sheet 10, and the treated portion may extend allthe way to each edge of the slip sheet 10. However, different widthsalong different edges of the slip sheet 10 are also possible.

Similarly, FIGS. 9A and 9B illustrate another example pattern,comprising patterned portions 14 b-14 d. As shown, the pattern isdiscontinuous, with portions 14 b and 14 c being disposed on opposite,generally parallel sides of a rectangular slip sheet 12, and portions 14e and 14 d being disposed on the remaining two sides. The treatedportions of this pattern may be substantially like those of the patternof FIGS. 1A-1C, but with evenly or unevenly spaced discontinuities,resulting in square or rectangular treated portions along all four edgesof slip sheet 10. As shown, this pattern also leaves an untreated,generally rectangular portion of slip sheet material in the centralportion of the slip sheet 10. This pattern may also comprise bands orstrips of treated portions that are the same or generally the same widthalong each edge of the slip sheet 10, and the treated portions mayextend all the way to each edge of the slip sheet 10. As with theprevious pattern, different widths of treated portions along differentedges of the slip sheet 10 are also possible.

FIGS. 10A and 10B show another possible pattern, which is generally anX-shape comprising portions 14 f and 14 g. These portions may beperpendicular to each other, although they may alternatively be atdifferent angles. As also shown, the portions 14 f and 14 g intersect orinclude the corners of the slip sheet 10. The treated portions of thispattern, 14 f and 14 g, may comprise equal width, linear bands or stripsthrough the middle of the slip sheet 10, and may alternately compriseportions that are not of equal width. This pattern creates fourtriangular untreated portions of slip sheet 10, one at each edge of theslip sheet.

FIGS. 11A and 11B illustrate another example pattern, comprisingpatterned portions 14 h. As shown, this pattern is also discontinuous,and comprises four rectangular or square treated areas, one at eachcorner of rectangular slip sheet 10. The rectangular portions 14 hgenerally extend to the edge of the slip sheet 10 on two sides, and thetreated sections may be different sizes from that shown in the figures.This pattern creates an untreated cross pattern centered on the slipsheet 10, the cross having sides that are generally parallel to thesides of slip sheet 10.

Another possible treatment pattern is shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, and inthis pattern, the portions 14 i and 14 j are generally parallel, linearbands or strips of treated portions that are also parallel to the sidesof the slip sheet, passing through its center. This pattern creates fourrectangular or square areas in the corners of the slip sheet 10, withthe treated portion generally extending all the way across the slipsheet 10.

FIGS. 13A and 13B illustrate a pattern comprising two generally paralleltreated portions 14 k and 14 l, which are placed along the edges of slipsheet 10 on opposite sides. As shown, the treated portions compriselinear bands or strips along two opposite edges of the slip sheet 10,which is rectangular or square in this example embodiment. The treatedportions 14 k and 14 l may be wider or narrower than shown in FIGS. 13Aand 13B. This pattern creates a rectangular untreated portion of slipsheet 12 in a central portion of the slip sheet 10, which extendsgenerally from one side of the sheet to the opposite side. This patternmay be particularly useful for its ease of production if slip sheetmaterial in the form of a continuous roll is fed past an applicationdevice, as discussed below. This pattern is also useful in that itcreates a continuous pest-repellent area along an entire edge of theslip sheet 10.

FIGS. 14A and 14B illustrate an example embodiment with a patterned,treated portion 14 m in the central part of slip sheet 10, which patternmay be generally aligned with the sides of a rectangular slip sheet 10as shown. As can be seen, this pattern is in the shape of a square orrectangular section, which creates untreated bands of slip sheetmaterial along the edges, with the bands being generally parallel alongopposite edges of the slip sheets. As with other patterns, this patternmay be readily produced with an applicator applying the pest-repellentsubstance 20 to a continuous roll of material before it is cut, asgenerally illustrated in FIGS. 15-18.

In addition to being applied in defined patterns, pest-repellentsubstance 20 may also be applied in other ways, such as to cover or beinfused over the entire slip sheet (as show, for example, in FIGS.15-18), or alternatively, substance 20 may be applied randomly to slipsheets or slip sheet material before it is cut to a particular shape.

D. Pest-Repellent Substance.

The example pest-repellent pallet slip sheets 10 may be made by treatingor infusing slip sheet material with one or more pest-repellentsubstances, including oils and other substances, which may generally bein liquid form prior to treatment of pallets. The pest-repellentsubstance may be comprised of any substance that repels animals andpests such as, but not limited to, insects (e.g. ants, flies, susaetc.), worms, rodents (e.g. mice, rats, etc.), birds and/or other typesof animals. By way of non-limiting example, some such substances maycomprise oils or other substances/chemicals. The unfinished slip sheetsmay either be infused with a repellent substance, or alternatively, maybe coated with it (or, the treatment may result in the substance beinginfused and coated in varying degrees), such that the substance is on asurface of the final slip sheet. Further, as discussed herein, anyrepellent substance or chemical, not just oil, may be used to treat theslip sheets 12.

FIG. 8A illustrates a slip sheet with pest-repellent substance 20 coatedor treated mainly on the surface of slip sheet 12, while FIG. 8B is anillustration of an infused slip sheet, wherein the pest-repellentsubstance 20 has penetrated into the slip sheet 12 and is infused belowthe surface. Notably, the patterned portions of treated slip sheetmaterial illustrated in the figures can represent either a surfacetreated slip sheet 10 or one wherein the substance 20 is infused.

As discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,337,081, which is hereby incorporated byreference, various oils are used to treat or infuse slip sheets forpest-repellent properties, In addition, well as other oils, chemicals,or substances not mentioned here may be used.

E. Making Preferred Embodiments.

The pest-repellent slip sheets 10 may be made by infusing, coating, orapplying onto untreated slip sheets or material 12 the pest-repellentsubstance 20, which may be scented, colored with dye, or both, inaddition to its pest repelling properties. Further, the application ofsubstance 20 may be accomplished in any of several ways. For example, itmay be done as the sheets are manufactured or afterwards, either inrolls or individual sheets, and it may be done with an automatedprocess, in high volumes, as shown in FIGS. 15-18, or it may be donemanually.

As shown in FIGS. 15-18, the slip sheet material, in either a continuousroll form, or as sheets fed by a sheet feeder, may be moved past anapplication device, such as a high-pressure, low-volume sprayer 40, or aroller 42. In addition to the repellent application device, anotherapplicator, which may be different, similar or identical to 40 or 42,can be used in front of or behind application device 40 or 42 to applypaint or sealant under or over the repellent. In addition to beingapplied in the same pattern as the repellent substance, paint or sealantmay also be applied in a different pattern, or at a different time. Suchpaint or sealant may provide performance benefits to the repellant. FIG.15 illustrates treatment of sheets 12 using a sprayer 40, while FIG. 16shows the use of a roller 42, with pest-repellent substance 20 on itssurface. Similarly, FIGS. 17 and 18 illustrate the treatment of a rollof slip sheet material 12 with a sprayer 40 and a roller 42,respectively.

To create a desired pattern, the flow of the pest-repellent substance20, or the position of the application device may be changed orinterrupted, such that the patterned portions 14 shown in FIGS. 1-3 and9-14, as well as other patterns, may be created.

FIG. 19 broadly outlines the steps that may be used in producingpest-repellent slip sheets. As noted, the volume of applied substance 20can be controlled so that a desired strength is achieved. To accomplishthis, the speed at which the raw slip sheet material will be fed ormoved past the applicator 40 or 42 will be set or noted. Instead ofmoving material past an applicator, in some example processes, anapplication device may be moved relative to a stationary sheet or sheetmaterial, similar to a robotic automobile painting process.

Once the relative feed speed is known, the application device can be setto deliver the substance 20 at a specific rate and pattern. For example,if a sprayer 40 is to be used, the flow rate when the sprayer is “on”may be set, as well as the on/off pattern, if one is used. As anexample, for the dashed pattern of FIGS. 9A and 9B, the sprayer 40 (orroller 42) can be turned on and off (or raised, if a roller is used) tocreate the patterned portions 14, as shown. Note that more than onesprayer 40 or roller 42 may also be used.

It should be noted that the infusion, coating, or other treatment ofslip sheets 12 can be done during manufacturing (e.g., while thematerial is on the roll), or it may also be done after the sheets havebeen cut from the roll. Once the pest-repellent substance 20 has beenapplied, especially if it is done during manufacturing, the productshould be packaged and sealed.

F. Using Preferred Embodiments.

In use, the pest-repellent slip sheets 10 will be in place on the topportion 32 of one or more pallets 30, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 1Aand 1B. Typically, pallets 30 may have perishable or edible products 34resting on them, with slip sheets 10 acting as a physical and repellentbarrier to rodents and other pests, as shown in FIGS. 5-8. FIGS. 8A and8B illustrate how the slip sheets provide a physical barrier (indicatedby arrows) between the wooden slats of pallet 30, to prevent ordiscourage animals from climbing, crawling, or jumping onto the pallet30 and reaching any product 34 on the pallet. As shown in FIG. 5,additional slip sheets 10 can also be placed between layers of products;the figure shows a slip sheet 10 between the pallet and the first levelof product, and also another slip sheet 10 between the first level ofproducts and the second. Of course, additional slip sheets 10 can alsobe placed between other levels or layers of products to provide theneeded protection.

If the pallets 30 are placed side-by-side, as shown in FIG. 6, a slipsheet 10 will protect not only the pallet 30 that it is on, but willalso tend to protect adjacent pallets. In this illustration, the pallets30 on the ends have slip sheets 10, while the middle two do not, and theend pallets will tend to protect the middle pallets due to the physicalbarrier of the slip sheets 10 and also due to the pest-repellentsubstance 20 on the slip sheets. For example, due to the tendency of thepest-repellent substance 20 to repel rodents and other pests and keepthem a certain distance away from the treated portion of the slipsheets, any pallets having slip sheets 10 can further serve todiscourage or repel pests from approaching pallets in proximity to thosehaving slip sheets 10. Further, any number of pallets having slip sheets10 may be used to create a pest-repellent perimeter around pallets orother materials within the perimeter. As an example, a number of palletsarranged in a square or rectangle may be used to create such aperimeter. In addition, even if one or number of pallets around theperimeter do not have slip sheets 10, the overall repellent effect ofthe remaining pallets around a group of pallets will still tend to repelpests from any untreated pallets.

To this end, the pattern of FIGS. 1-4 may be used, as it includes apattern around the entire perimeter of the slip sheet 10, and thusprotects the entire perimeter of the pallet 30. FIG. 5 illustrates thisembodiment with a product 34 on the pallet, and also illustrates how theentire exposed portion of slip sheet 10 is treated (in this examplepattern), even though the entire sheet may not be. Of course, otherpatterns or slip sheets that are entirely treated (e.g., coated orinfused) with substance 20 may also be used to create this proximityrepellent effect. Similarly, pest-repellent slip sheets 10 on lowerpallets 30 will also protect pallets 30 stacked above them, as shown inFIG. 7, even though the upper pallets may not be treated. Of course,this principle also applies in the event that the other, proximatepallets (such as pallets stacked above other pallets) are provided withtreated slip sheets 10. Other treatment patterns may also serve thispurpose, such as that of FIGS. 9-13.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used hereinhave the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill inthe art to which this invention belongs. Although methods and materialssimilar to or equivalent to those described herein can be used in thepractice or testing of the pest-repellent pallet slip sheets, suitablemethods and materials are described above. All publications, patentapplications, patents, and other references mentioned herein areincorporated by reference in their entirety to the extent allowed byapplicable law and regulations. The pest-repellent pallet slip sheetsmay be embodied in other specific forms without departing from thespirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired thatthe present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative andnot restrictive. Any headings utilized within the description are forconvenience only and have no legal or limiting effect.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of making a rodent-repellent pallet slipsheet, comprising: dispensing a continuous sheet of material from a rollof material; feeding the continuous sheet of material past to arepellent application device at a speed; applying a rodent repellentsubstance to the continuous sheet of material in a pattern by therepellent application device as the continuous sheet of material movespast the repellent application device; and cutting a rectangular slipsheet from the continuous sheet of material treated with the rodentrepellent substance.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the rodentrepellent substance comprises a rodent repelling oil and a colored dye.3. The method of claim 1, wherein the rodent repellent substance isinfused in the rectangular slip sheet.
 4. The method of claim 1, whereinthe continuous sheet of material is comprised of paper.
 5. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the pattern comprises a box shape around a perimeter ofthe rectangular slip sheet.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein thepattern covers less than 20% of the rectangular slip sheet.
 7. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising positioning the rectangular slipsheet on an upper surface of a pallet.
 8. The method of claim 1, whereinthe step of applying a rodent repellent substance to the continuoussheet of material is comprised of infusing or coating.
 9. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the repellent application device is comprised of asprayer.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the sprayer is comprised ofa high-pressure, low-volume sprayer.
 11. The method of claim 1, whereinthe repellent application device is comprised of a roller.
 12. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the step of applying a rodent repellentsubstance to the continuous sheet of material in a pattern by therepellent application device comprises changing or interrupting a flowof the rodent repellent substance.
 13. The method of claim 1, whereinthe step of applying a rodent repellent substance to the continuoussheet of material in a pattern by the repellent application devicecomprises changing a position of the repellent application device withrespect to the continuous sheet of material.
 14. The method of claim 1,further comprising packaging and sealing the rectangular slip sheet. 15.A method of making a rodent-repellent pallet slip sheet, comprising:dispensing a continuous sheet of material from a roll of material,wherein the continuous sheet of material is comprised of paper; feedingthe continuous sheet of material past to a repellent application deviceat a speed, wherein the repellent application device is comprised of asprayer or a roller; applying a rodent repellent substance to thecontinuous sheet of material in a pattern at a flowrate by the repellentapplication device as the continuous sheet of material moves past therepellent application device, wherein the rodent repellent substancecomprises a rodent repelling oil and a colored dye, and wherein thespeed of the continuous sheet of material and the flowrate are calculateto provide a desired strength of the rodent repellent substance to thecontinuous sheet of material; and cutting a rectangular slip sheet fromthe continuous sheet of material treated with the rodent repellentsubstance.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the pattern comprises abox shape around a perimeter of the rectangular slip sheet.
 17. Themethod of claim 15, wherein the pattern covers less than 20% of therectangular slip sheet.
 18. The method of claim 15, further comprisingpositioning the rectangular slip sheet on an upper surface of a pallet.19. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of applying a rodentrepellent substance to the continuous sheet of material is comprised ofinfusing or coating.
 20. A method of making a rodent-repellent palletslip sheet, comprising: dispensing a continuous sheet of material from aroll of material, wherein the continuous sheet of material is comprisedof paper; feeding the continuous sheet of material past to a repellentapplication device at a speed by a sheet feeder, wherein the repellentapplication device is comprised of a high-pressure, low-volume sprayer;applying a rodent repellent substance to the continuous sheet ofmaterial in a pattern at a flowrate by the repellent application deviceas the continuous sheet of material moves past the repellent applicationdevice, wherein the rodent repellent substance comprises a rodentrepelling oil and a colored dye, and wherein the speed of the continuoussheet of material and the flowrate are calculate to provide a desiredstrength of the rodent repellent substance to the continuous sheet ofmaterial; wherein the step of applying a rodent repellent substance tothe continuous sheet of material in a pattern by the repellentapplication device comprises changing or interrupting a flow of therodent repellent substance; cutting a rectangular slip sheet from thecontinuous sheet of material treated with the rodent repellentsubstance, wherein the rectangular slip sheet; and sealing therectangular slip sheet in a packaging.